Interview: Gregory DeCandia of SILHOUETTES OF SERVICE at DreamWrights Center For Community Arts

Silhouettes of Service, a play created and performed by Gregory DeCandia, Artistic Director of DreamWrights Center for Community Arts, will be produced at DreamWrights for one night only on Veteran's Day, November 11th. It is a verbatim play, which is a play created from the words of real people. Silhouettes of Service was created from interviews with soldiers from World War II through the present. Creator and actor Gregory DeCandia took a few moments to talk about this unique theatre experience.

BWW: Tell us a little about yourself.

DeCandia: I have been fortunate engage the industry as an educator, performer, director, podcaster, and cultivator of new works in five different states and abroad. I currently serve as the Artistic Director of DreamWrights Center for Community Arts as well as the Founder and Executive Director of Ignition Arts. Prior to landing in York, I was the Head of the BA Theatre and Performance devising program at Oklahoma City University. My last stage role, aside from touring Silhouettes Of Service since 2016 (including last week at the Dowd Center Theatre in Monroe, NC) was as James Reston in Frost/Nixon at Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma. I am a proud graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill (MFA) and Emerson College (BFA) and member of Actors' Equity Association and the National Alliance of Acting Teachers. Next up at DreamWrights, I will be co-directing A Christmas Carol with Dierdre and Gabriel Casey opening December 10th.

BWW: What inspired you to create this piece of theatre?

DeCandia: I have always been an admirer of Anna Deaver Smith and her cannon of potent theatrical work that explores the American experience. I wanted to experiment with the form of verbatim theatre or docudrama. This, of course, requires a rich and complex subject. While perusing my MFA at UNC Chapel, I learned that North Carolina has the third largest military presence in the nation, home to over 720,000 veterans, and it claims to be the "most military friendly state in the nation." So, I had access to a sea of compelling subjects to interview and a desire to learn why less than 1% of our population protect the remaining 99%. I also hope to honor the loss of my cousin 1LT Scott F. Milley.

BWW: Tell us a little about the history of this production?

DeCandia: Winner of the 2016 Community Impact Award from UNC-Chapel Hill, Silhouettes of Service (SOS) is a 75-minute solo docudrama theatre piece that I created and perform. SOS is derived verbatim from 26 interviews of soldiers ranging from ROTC cadet to Colonel, serving from World War II to the present, and offering perspectives across race, gender, and sexual orientation. This project was commissioned by Ignition Arts and workshopped in The Process Series at UNC-Chapel Hill Department of Communication under the direction of Joseph Megel. Touring performances were held at UNC-Chapel Hill's Swain Hall, North Carolina Museum of History, Luciano Theatre at Cumberland County College in New Jersey, the Oklahoma Contemporary in Oklahoma City, and on November 5th, 2021 at the Dowd Center Theatre.

BWW: For those who have not experienced verbatim theatre before, can you describe what the show will be like?

DeCandia: The beauty of verbatim theater its honesty. All the words uttered in this play are from real people sharing their personal story in their own unique way. This is a solo performance where I portray 18 different soldiers using a technique I call full body mask work. I've created specific verbal, gestural, and physical expressions for each solider in order to delineate the difference between each monologue. Designer Jade Bettin has brilliantly coordinated costume accents (hat, glasses, etc.) to help differentiate each character. The action is housed in Jacob Walton's set: a 9ft cube with two rotating projection screens, that is haunted by sounds crafted by Griffin Gast. It is illuminated by Dominic Abbenanate's simplistically complex design, consisting of five work lights and two projectors. As the title suggests, we fully embrace the use of silhouettes in this show. As it is an honest depiction of service, be advised that SOS does contain adult language and themes, as well as the use of strobe/flash imagery and sounds of war.

BWW: What is the biggest challenge in performing this type of theatre?

DeCandia: The biggest challenge for this production is not so much in the style of theatre but the subject matter. This is a show that celebrates military service; however, those who served rarely wish to relive that time of their lives and, therefore, are hesitant to attend. I remember while performing at Cumberland County College in NJ where a veterans' organization purchased a block of 100 seats for the show and less than 5 attended. That being said, I worked closely with North Carolina Vietnam Veteran Inc, to be mindful of the triggering aspects of the show and adjusted to make it palatable to those suffering from PTSD. At DreamWrights there are multiple areas accessible for those who need a break from the action.

BWW: Why this show at this time?

DeCandia: After the conclusion of the longest running war in US history, it is imperative to commemorate the sacrifice of our soldiers and truly reflect on what it means for them to offer themselves in the defense of our nation and its ideals.

BWW: Is there anything else you'd like our readers to know?

DeCandia: The performance is free to all who have served in the US Armed Services. Simply show up to the box office and let us know what branch you served and you get in. Doors open at 6PM for our Gallery Hour curated by Collective Rogue Arts. The performance begin at 7PM with no intermission. The performance concludes with a Community Conversation where the audience is given the opportunity to share their stories of service.

Silhouettes of Service is on stage for one night only, visit www.dreamwrights.org. Veterans are welcome to attend free of charge!

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